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Gardeners already have plenty of tiny troublemakers to keep an eye out for this time of year, but Clemson Cooperative Extension just added another one to the list.
The two-spotted cotton leafhopper (Amrasca biguttula), an invasive insect native to Asia, has been detected in South Carolina for the first time this year. According to an Aug. 11 field report from Clemson Cooperative Extension, area horticulture agent Zack Snipes found the pest on okra in Charleston.
This isn’t the leafhopper’s first appearance in South Carolina. The invasive pest was first confirmed in the state in 2025, when Clemson reported infestations on multiple vegetable farms. But its return is worth paying attention to, particularly because this isn’t an insect interested in just one plant.
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What Is the Two-Spotted Cotton Leafhopper?
Also sometimes called the cotton jassid, the two-spotted cotton leafhopper is a tiny, pale-green insect measuring only about ⅛ inch long. Adults have yellowish-green wings and can often be identified by dark spots near the tips of the wings and two spots on the head. The insects are quick, too. Nymphs can scuttle sideways across leaves, while both adults and nymphs may hop away when disturbed.
The pest is native to much of Asia and has long been a serious agricultural problem there. More recently, however, it has been making its way through the Americas. It was reported in Puerto Rico in 2023, detected in Florida in 2024, and by 2025, infestations had been reported in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.
And despite the word “cotton” in its name, cotton plants aren’t the only thing on the menu.
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Which Garden Plants Are at Risk?
This is where backyard gardeners should pay attention.
Okra is one of the pest’s preferred hosts, which makes its latest discovery on a South Carolina okra plant particularly noteworthy. But Clemson Extension experts say the leafhopper can also feed on eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and sunflowers, along with ornamental favorites such as hibiscus and pot marigolds.
Both adults and nymphs tend to congregate on the undersides of leaves, where they use piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant tissue. That feeding can cause a distinctive type of damage known as hopperburn.
Early symptoms can be surprisingly easy to mistake for other garden problems. Leaves may begin to yellow, curl upward around the edges or eventually turn brown. Severe infestations can lead to dead tissue and leaf drop. Because those symptoms can resemble drought stress or nutrient deficiencies, gardeners may notice the struggling plant before they ever spot the tiny insect responsible.
What Should Gardeners Do If They Spot One?
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Regularly check the undersides of leaves, particularly on susceptible plants such as okra, eggplant and hibiscus. Look not only for the tiny pale-green insects themselves but also for yellowing, curling or browning leaves and the shed skins nymphs can leave behind.
Because the two-spotted cotton leafhopper can resemble other leafhoppers already buzzing around our gardens, identification isn’t always as straightforward as matching an insect to a photo online. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension notes that some of its telltale dark markings can be faint or even absent, and definitive identification may require an expert.
If you think you’ve found one, your local cooperative extension office can help with identification and advise you on appropriate management options for your area.
The good news is that spotting a tiny green bug doesn’t mean it’s time to declare war on every leafhopper in the garden. But with this invasive species continuing to turn up across the Southeast, giving the undersides of your vegetable and ornamental plants an occasional once-over is just one more task worth adding to your late-summer garden checklist.
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This story was originally published by Dengarden on Aug 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Dengarden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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